My World
by twilightmask
Summary: Well, Alice has always ventured to Wonderland, but what if the opposite wants to happen? A little visit, turned reunion, turned party, turned to a time Alice will never forget. After-movie. Comments and reviews plz? AliceXHatter in the later bits. ;
1. Hello Again

**DISLCAIMER: I DO NOT OWN THIS NEW VERSION OF ALICE IN WONDERLAND OR ITS CHARACTERS CREATED BY KICK-ASS TIM BURTON. 'Cause I'm so not him. XD**

The air was so powdery. And still, more powder flew into the air. Her face was beginning to feel numb after the constant patting. Nevertheless, more and more make up, and more and more powder was applied to the small face. So many hands flew about fixing her hair, applying more make up, and tying up the last bits of her dress. Alice felt like she was about the keel over just from the exhaustion of sitting that long for that period of time. The nurse talked in time with the patting of the powder.

"Oh would you just look at yourself, Alice? Isn't she absolutely marvelous, Mabel?" The maid named Mabel nodded her head shyly. The nurse asked Alice,

"Well, what do you think, darling?" Everyone finally pulled away from the air-deprived girl. Alice saw the haughty looking girl that was apparently her in the mirror. She looked at everyone around the room with a slight distaste lining her eyes. The nurse's wide smile was beginning to look almost mocking. Alice took a small breath in and spoke in a soft voice,

"It's very different…" The nurse bobbed her head up and down in excitement, before tossing her head slightly in a little laugh.

"Why yes! Of course!! This is a very important party!" Alice sighed as all the maids filed out of the room followed by the nurse. Her mother and sister entered the bedroom. Tears were being held back by both.

"You look just like your father, Alice." Her mother muttered, as she threw her arms around her. Alice stiffly patted her forearm and put on a forced smile. Both women left the bedroom to wait for Alice. As soon as they were gone, Alice let out a huge breath of air and took a hold of a wet cloth. She smeared off all of the white and blue off her façade to reveal a simple, elegant face. She smiled softly at the real face and began to head out the door, fixing her veiled hat to keep the make-up-less face from view. Suddenly she stopped and abruptly ran back to the vanity. Her fingers picked up and gently caressed a white gold locket. She opened the small, heart-shaped vessel and her own heart was instantly filled with sadness and remorse. The black and white picture of her newly deceased father was almost nostalgic. Alice wiped a stray tear off her face and deftly put the necklace around her neck. The nurse called out from down the stairs,

"Alice, dear? You're going to be late for your very important date!" Alice froze as the words reached her ear. She rummaged through her drawer and pulled out a small hat. Her fingers ran over it, feeling the silken work. Her lips were trembling, and she held the only small piece of Wonderland that she had managed to get away with, and the thoughts of the ones she had left behind filled her mind. She felt another cold tear that was falling late drop onto the hat. The nurse called again,

"Alice? Alice!" She fixed the hat on her veil as well,

"I'm coming…" Her voice was soft and trembling. She very much missed them and was beginning to realize that she may never ever return to Wonderland again. The day had already begun to a rough start. First, all of this hustle and bustle about her make-up and such, and now, she was unsettled by the thoughts of her father and Wonderland. Quickly, she stepped down the stairs, and the nurse lightly pushed her into the carriage alongside her mother and sister.

"Have fun!" She gave another big-toothed smile, and Alice had to resist the urge to slap it right off her face. Her sister and mother looked at her in a bit of disbelief,

"Alice…?" Her mother softly began,

"Why do you have a hat on your veil?" She bit her lower lip. Alice replied readily,

"Oh, it's the latest fashion, mother. All of the girls my age are wearing it." She crossed her fingers, hoping that they would buy it. Her sister stepped in for her,

"Yes, mother. I've seen a lot of the girls wear it in that fashion." Her mother's stoniness began to show through,

"Well, I shall not have my daughter wearing such a hat." She plucked it off of Alice's head and tossed it out the window of the carriage. Alice gasped and stuck her head out the window, watching the beautiful hat bounce along the road. Her mother pulled her in tightly,

"Alice! Be a lady." She told her in a warning tone. Alice's bottom lip was quivering,

"Mother…that was my hat." Her mother sighed and shook her head,

"I know, Alice. Please try to understand that you cannot wear a hat like that to this lovely party your friends have invited you to." Alice's bright blue eyes turned icy. That was the least thing she wanted to do. Her "friends" weren't exactly what her mother thought they were. At the least, if anyone had a friend who pushed you into the mud "accidentally" or constantly avoided you, I think that we would all agree. Alice knew that it was against both parties' will to have her come to the party. It was the 20th birthday party of Ms. Lillian Rider, and she was the worst. Alice was reluctant to go to her birthday, but her mother had insisted and already replied to the invitation. Alice, however, was more willing to draw and write and read stories all day. It was a passion that girls were denied. The coachman pulled the horses to a stop and bowed deeply, as the three ladies stepped out of the carriage. When Alice walked past him, she gave him a few coins,

"Thank you for the ride." She whispered gently to him. He grinned and went back to the front of the carriage. Alice, her mother, and her sister all opened up their parasols and headed into the large estate. Alice repeatedly took deep breaths to keep herself from inwardly exploding. The mothers of both children hugged and talked cheerily together. Her sister went off to talk with a few nice women that she had recently met. Alice was left alone with the birthday girl herself. She was sitting upon a very red, velvet chair with golden arms and legs. A little crown was placed on her head, and she twirled a little scepter in her hands. Alice stepped forward and curtsied when it was her turn. Lillian sniffed and looked away. Holding back her spite, Alice placed down a present in the present pile and walked off, relieved. She glanced back at Lillian only to see a big headed woman. Alice gasped and fell over a couple rocks, hitting herself hard on the ground. Everyone gasped, as a large tower teetered and began to fall over Alice. Alice screamed only to be shushed by a hand. She looked up and saw two men stopping the tower and putting it back in place. Alice whirled her head around to see Lillian again, only to find that she still looked like the big-headed woman who was obsessed with hearts and chopping off peoples' heads. Her head was woozy, and she felt as if she was going to faint, before her mother roughly pulled her onto her feet,

"Alice…what are you doing?" She whispered angrily. Lillian, looking more like the Red Queen as she stepped closer and closer, held her heart in pretend sympathy,

"Oh, poor Alice! Are you okay?" She rushed over and was going to hug her tightly, but one of the men who had saved her stopped her lightly,

"Ms. Rider, I suggest that you continue on with the birthday. We shall take care of this young lady." Alice felt nervous. She finally began to take a good look at who had saved her. She nearly screamed out again. A goofy smile was spread across one of the men's faces, and he had an all too familiar hat on his head. The other, normal looking man, walked off to chat with his friends again, but the strange man stayed put. Her mother apologized,

"I'm terribly sorry, sir. Terribly sorry." Her eyes were kept down, as she curtsied politely. The man replied,

"It was fine. It wasn't her fault." Alice gave a slight look of bewilderment to the man, before realizing that it was but another person she knew. The thing that Alice hoped she wasn't going was mad. Her mother thanked the man again before grabbing Alice's arm to talk to her. The supposed Mad Hatter stepped forward and tapped her mother's hand,

"That won't be necessary, Mrs. Kingley. I shall talk to Alice. I have some pointers for her on tripping and falling." Alice's mother shot Alice a look of slight anger and annoyance, before responding,

"Alright then." She released her tight grip on the poor girl, and the man took Alice into a further corner of the party. Alice punched him lightly in the arm,

"What are you _**doing**_?" She whispered threateningly. The Mad Hatter scoffed,

"Well, I just saved your life!" Alice fumed silently,

"Yes, I'm aware of that, but now my mother's going to kill me! What are you and the Red Queen doing here?" The Mad Hatter laughed his little, odd laugh,

"Why would you think we'd be so selfish!?" Alice spoke in a confused tone,

"What do you mean being selfish? I was talking about this whole mess! Now, I'm really going to get it!" The Mad Hatter pursed his lips,

"Oh. I thought you were talking about how you thought we only brought ourselves to this little party thing." Alice's eyes widened and she felt her head beginning to hurt once again,

"Wh-who else did you bring?" She questioned reluctantly and hesitantly. He grinned again,

"Only just about every Wonderland character!" He clapped his hands together in happiness. Alice felt like she was going to tip over.

"You _**what**_**!?" **The Mad Hatter frowned,

"Well, you sound happy." He said a little remorsefully at her anger. Alice immediately tried to make him happy again,

"Oh, I…uh, I am! You must've just heard it the wrong way! I'm ecstatic!" She attempted to imitate his mad smile to at least make him chuckle. He scoffed once again to her surprise,

"Hmph, if you're going to pretend to be mad, then you're going to have to act like a mad person too." Alice rolled her eyes. He could be so fickle. She replied more sincerely,

"I truly missed you all though." Alice smiled softly, and it set off smiles onto the Mad Hatter's face.

"We all missed you too, Alice, and that's why we've come!"

"Seriously?" She felt a little embarrassed now. The Mad Hatter nodded,

"Well, yes. And we hear that you're in a bit of a predicament." Alice made a face,

"What are you talking about? I don't even know how all of you got here! And why doesn't anyone else see that the rest of you look clearly…"

"Mad?" The corners of her thin lips turned up,

"Exacatically." The Mad Hatter was grinning from ear to ear once again.

"I'll explain, dear Alice." He cleared his throat before beginning,

"Well, we found out through the White Rabbit, who had been spending some time hopping about in your world…" Alice interrupted him unintentionally,

"What did he find out?" The Mad Hatter grumbled,

"Well, I was getting to that part…" The blonde girl apologized,

"Oh, I'm sorry. Please continue." The mad man grinned,

"Why, thank you, Alice. As I was saying, the White Rabbit 'over-heard', I think he was snooping, that you were going to this party of some girl that you really hated." Alice rested her face on a hand, interested that the White Rabbit would do such a thing. He seemed so orderly…and late for everything for that matter. The Mad Hatter blissfully continued,

"So, I came up with the idea of making this party more funner for you!" He seemed so pleased with himself, that Alice decided to hold back and not mention that 'funner' was not a word.

"The White Rabbit then took all of us Wonderland creatures and brought us up the rabbit hole!" Alice politely raised her hand a little bit. The Mad Hatter took note of this and smirked a little and pointed a finger in her direction,

"Why, yes? The little girl with the blue dress? Do you have a question?" Alice pouted,

"I'm not little anymore…" The hatter shrugged,

"You still seem the same to me."

"Well you Wonderland-ers never age!" She was a little upset at still being seen as a child. Since her recent visit, she figured that she was a little more mature and brave. The Mad Hatter waved a hand,

"Whatever, now tell me your question!"

"I wanted to know how you come up the rabbit hole. I always just came down it." The Mad Hatter's eyes lit up,

"Oh that's right. I'm afraid I can't tell you that bit of information though, Alice. The White Rabbit made sure we took an oath not to tell anyone." The nineteen year old frowned a little,

"Well, why not?" The hatter's hands went into his pockets,

"I don't know. He made me swear on tea, so I can't tell you!" Alice gave a small smile to herself, but the observant hatter saw it. He smiled widely again,

"Anyways, do you want to meet the rest of your long-lost buddies?" She put her hands on her hips,

"I've only been gone for…a few months." The blue-dressed girl couldn't remember exactly when she had visited Wonderland. The Mad Hatter chuckled,

"Sure." The White Rabbit and the March Hare bounced over to the two,

"Made your move yet?" The March Hare questioned the Mad Hatter. The hatter gave a strong look of annoyance to the hare and proceeded to kicking him out of the way. He yelped, as he was sent into the bushes. Alice gasped, as a hand flew to her mouth. The Mad Hatter quickly explained,

"Forget him. He wasn't that important anyways…" He laughed a little awkwardly. Alice bravely pushed back the Mad Hatter and pulled the poor March Hare out of the hedges. The hare thanked her,

"At least _**someone**_ cares about animals!" The frizzy haired man stuck out his tongue and crossed his arms the way a little five year old would. Alice laughed lightly at both. The White Rabbit's nose twitched, as he spoke,

"Do you mind that we're here, Alice?" Her hands twisted themselves together,

"Well, isn't it a bit odd that I'm talking to animals with clothes on and a man that clearly looks like the mercury poisoning has gotten the better of him?" The rabbit reassured her,

"Don't worry, Alice. When we came into your world, we weren't oblivious. To you, we look as we do, but to the others in this boring world, we look normal." Alice raised an eyebrow,

"So, I'm talking to a bunch of normal animals now?" The Mad Hatter pitched in,

"Still seems a little odd to me." The hare shot him a look,

"As if you'd know!" The hatter was silenced with this. A lovely looking woman seemed to float over to the odd group,

"Hello, Alice!" She cheerily greeted the girl. Alice smiled softly,

"Hello, White Queen." The two women hugged each other tightly. The rest of the Wonderland creatures gave each other looks,

"Seems like the females seem to all get along together." The Mad Hatter commented sarcastically. The White Queen's eyes narrowed at him,

"Oh yes? Tell that to my sister." The Red Queen was enjoying her place on the throne, having to hold back calling out the chopping of random heads. Alice remembered another curious question,

"Why does no one realize that it isn't Lillian sitting up there?" The frilly-looking woman giggled a little,

"Well, we promised my sister that she would get a royal treatment when she came, and we just realized that the snooty girl was so alike to her…" Everyone chorused in laughter. The White Rabbit added in,

"The Red Queen has taken over your Lillian's body for now. Her thoughts are shut away, and she's completely unaware of what's going on." Alice grinned a little evilly,

"Brilliant!" The Mad Hatter commented,

"Ooh dear, I see a bit of Alice's naughtiness coming through." He tutted lightly at her. The March Hare had a smile curl onto his face,

"Hee hee…that sounded wrong…" He giggled to himself. The hatter bonked him on the top of the head and sneered,

"Rude…" Alice politely cut in,

"It's very nice that you've all come here on my expense." The White Queen smiled kindly,

"Well, it seems that most of the time you're coming to help us on our expense, now doesn't it?" An incredibly small caterpillar, that had finally managed to crawl to the highest grass blade next to Alice, spoke,

"Yes, and we find it fit to help you with a problem or two!" His voice was squeaky, and Alice was caught by surprise. She bent down to the caterpillar's level and thanked him solely,

"Thank you." The caterpillar seemed to swell in pride on the tiny grass blade,

"Be careful you don't get stepped on." The White Rabbit muttered. Alice stood up, still in awe that all of these characters were in her world now…for at least a moment or two at least. The Mad Hatter glanced around,

"Well, what do we do at this sort of party? I don't even see any tea…" He mumbled to himself. Alice heard this and answered,

"You can all find people to talk to; you can enjoy the time here." She paused before apologizing,

"I'm sorry this isn't very interesting. I find that your world is more of an excitement." The March Hare replied,

"Oh, no we think you're world is very…different…I mean, look at everyone." Alice looked around her,

"It looks like _**we're **_not even the maddest looking of the bunch…" The Mad Hatter agreed and scoffed,

"Definitely. Look at that heavy woman over there with the huge hat! It's wretched and horribly ugly and doesn't fit her teeny head properly." The White Queen also pointed out a group of girls,

"And look at those young girls. They're wearing so much make up that they're beginning to look like him." She motioned towards the Mad Hatter. He grinned despite the clear insult, having to agree with her statement. The rabbit and the hare began to hop around in slight boredom. Alice suggested,

"There are probably some nice things to eat around the back. They keep a lovely garden back there." The March Hare sighed,

"Still no tea." Nevertheless, the two hopped across the estate and disappeared behind a few walls. The White Queen began to drift to a few of make-up-less women, hoping to strike up a bit of conversation. The Cheshire cat, who had avoided the conversation for the most part, curled up at Alice's feet. She stroked the cat for a little, before he shot off after a cute-looking kitten that had caught his eyes. The girl straightened up again only to meet the Mad Hatter's large eyes once again. They twinkled with a little mystery and childishness. She offered,

"You can leave too, you know." He shook his head a little,

"No, that's okay. I figure I'll spend a little while with you, Alice." The caterpillar below them, which may have been forgotten, called from below,

"Aw, how sweet!" The Mad Hatter twitched at the sarcasm, bent down, and flicked the caterpillar a few inches away. He shrieked, as he went flying. Alice frowned and gave the hatter a look. He shrugged, and she laughed.

**AN: I know at least a few of you will wonder when I'll update for my other story. :/ It's a little on hold, and since I've watched a few Alice in Wonderland (Tim Burton style :D) stuffs, and I kinda had to write something. XD So sorry! Hope at least some people find interest in it if you've watched any of the clips/trailers. The only person I didn't really want to put in was the Knave of Hearts. I didn't really know much about his character from the things on Youtube. XD I don't know whether or not I'll finish this 'cause the movie's coming out in NEARLY A WEEK! :D But yea, just a little fangirlish-rant about nothing. :) Hope you all have a good day anyways. Buh-bye.**


	2. Good Grief

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN/HAVE CREATED TIM BURTON'S ALICE IN WONDERLAND CHARACTERS. (read AN first please!)**

Alice was suddenly wary of her mother or sister's peering eyes. She carefully turned a 360 and made sure that she wasn't being watched.

"What are you doing?" The hatter gave her a funny look.

"I just remembered that my mother or sister may be watching. I don't want them getting the wrong…" She told him in a bit of a hushed voice. It was inevitably too late. Her mother had finally spotted where her daughter had been swept off to.

"Well, you two have certainly spent a lot of time together." Her voice was knowing and insinuated at something Alice would rather not think about. The Mad Hatter was either completely unaware of her mother's underlying tones or simply didn't care.

"You have a very interesting daughter." He happily replied. She smiled at him.

"Why thank you, Mr…?"

"Hatter, just call me hatter." He told her cheerfully.

"But why just 'hatter'?" Her mother confusedly asked. The Mad Hatter grinned.

"I very much love my profession." He proudly proclaimed. Alice glanced nervously at her mother's reaction, and to her surprise, she seemed content.

"Well, that's an excellent business, Mr. Hatter. You know, my dear Alice is in need of a new hat." She told him. Alice inwardly thought up a few nasty thoughts about her mother's behavior. Nevertheless, the hatter clapped his hands together in joy.

"I'd love to take up that offer! I'd do anything for Alice!" His slightly foolish grin spread across his face. Alice had to keep herself from nearly tackling the Mad Hatter and telling him to stop. Her mother raised her eyebrows and glanced over at her daughter with a little smile perched on her face. Alice hesitated.

"Oh, Mother. It's, um…well…not what you think! I promise!" She desperately tried to get the awkward thought out of her mother's system. Her mother waved a hand, as she spoke.

"Nonsense, Alice. This kind man has offered to make you a hat! Do you know each other very well?" She questioned her. The long, blonde haired girl began twisting her hands together in embarrassment and distress all over again.

"Oh, yes! Alice and I go very far back! I'm…er surprised to see her here!" The Mad Hatter cut in. Alice shot him a look. Her mother kept beaming though.

"Well, I'll leave you two young people alone then." She went off rather quickly, thinking hopefully that her daughter had finally met a person of the other gender that _**wasn't **_completely turned down by her. As soon as her mother's back was turned, Alice smacked him on the arm. The 'victim' winced in over-exaggerated pain.

"Alice! What was that for?" He complained, lower lip sticking out in a bit of a pout. She rolled her eyes in exasperation.

"My mother's a very…uh…she just jumps to conclusions very quickly. I'd rather not give her any ideas." Alice awkwardly tried to phrase her ideas together. The hatter scoffed in reply to this.

"What are you talking about? What conclusions? You're not making any sense, Alice." He told her matter-of-factly. Alice sighed at the hopeless cause and tried to leave it be for the moment. The Red Queen's voice suddenly boomed loudly over everyone else's,

"I would like to start the ballroom dancing!" All the heads in the crowd turned slowly towards her. The Red Queen hesitated and added,

"Please…?" Her 'mother', really Lillian's mother, patted her arm.

"Yes, dear of course!" Alice could sense the slight fear in Lillian's mother's voice. Perhaps the Red Queen and Lillian were more alike than she thought…

"Why would the White Queen allow the Red Queen back after her banishment?" She asked the Mad Hatter, confused. He raised a pointer finger,

"Ah, excellent question, Alice. And here's the reason. You see, we needed to find someone to…uh 'possess' this Lillian character while we were here, so we wouldn't have any hassle getting in…and well, the White Queen actually felt a little bad leaving her sister there, so they made the deal that if she could behave, she could come." The hatter told her. Alice nodded thoughtfully,

"Yes, but then where's the Knave?" The bright orange haired man rolled his fluorescent, lime-green eyes,

"Who would take care of Wonderland while we were gone?"

"You trust him?" She questioned their motives. He shrugged,

"Who else were we going to leave behind then?" The Mad Hatter replied. Alice's mouth opened slightly in the realization, and she nodded once again. All of a sudden, faint huffing and puffing was heard. The Dormouse, who had been delayed due to his small legs, had finally managed to catch up to the rest of the Wonderland characters and poked Alice lightly on the toe of her shoe. He squeaked as loudly as he could.

"Alice! You haven't forgotten about me, have you?" His small face turned up as far as it could to be able to see the normal sized Alice, as he breathed heavily, almost gasping for air. She picked him up and smiled,

"Of course not, Mallymkun. I was about to ask where you were." The White Rabbit, McTwisp, frowned, as he hopped by, searching for the March Hare,

"Why is it that you're always so late, Dormouse?" He commented a little sourly. The Dormouse scowled.

"Maybe it's due to the abandonment, as we were going up the rabbit hole. Thanks for helping out." The mouse snapped back sharply. Alice stepped between the both,

"We'll have none of that now. As the Red…er…Lillian said, we should all go dance. It'll be relaxing." She insisted. They turned away from each other instantly and walked off into the crowd of people. Two, short, on-the-heavy-side boys came toddling over to Alice and the Mad Hatter next. The slightly frazzled blonde stated,

"Goodness, there are still more coming?" She felt a little overwhelmed at having all of these Wonderland creatures approach her, especially with the idea that her watchful mother was constantly staring over at her. Alice was normally a quiet girl who kept to herself, so her mother found interest in seeing all of these people talk to her daughter. Maybe she wasn't as reclusive, as she thought she was. Tweedledee stuck out his hand,

"Pleasure to meet you once again, Alice!" Both twins grinned. Tweedledum added,

"Yes, and at such a fine party as well! There are so many hiding places and goodies about!" Next to Alice, the Mad Hatter groaned and rolled his eyes,

"That's all you two think about, isn't it? Food and games." He grinned foolishly, as he spoke. The twins spoke in unison,

"Well, all you think about is tea and…" The Mad Hatter rushed to shut them up and put his hands over their mouths. He glared at them with one of his eyes,

"I think that's quite enough out of you two." His warning tones scaring the both of them. Tweedledee managed to protest,

"Contrarily, we have merely just begun!" Tweedledum shoved Tweedledee, not wanting to upset the Mad Hatter any more than necessary.

"All right, which one of you said that?" The Mad Hatter growled at the twins. Tweedledee pointed at Tweedledum, and Tweedledum pointed at Tweedledee,

"He did it!" The both shouted accusatorily. The Mad Hatter frowned, and Alice laughed light-heartedly in the background. She gently took the Mad Hatter's hands off of the Tweedles' mouths and patted them both on their bald heads.

"Behave now." She told them a little firmly. They both smiled,

"Yes, Alice!" They chorused together. As they scurried off, the hatter and Alice heard them saying,

"Well, at least Alice is kind."

"Oh yes, you'd figure someone would find out that being nice is the only way to get things…"

"Instead of being grumpy."

"Precisely!" Their voices faded away, as they traveled further and further into the crowds. The Mad Hatter shook his head and placed his face into one hand. Alice giggled. Absolem, the caterpillar, had reached the two once again, and called out,

"They both are a funny bunch, aren't they?" He commented thoughtfully on the twins. Alice nodded,

"Yes, they are." She replied. The Mad Hatter huffed,

"Real funny…" He muttered under his breath. The blue-dressed girl next to him shot him a look. The mad man stuck out his tongue and crossed his eyes at her with his arms folded in front of his torso. Alice moved back a step in surprise and offense. Her eyebrows scrunched themselves in anger over her glassy eyes. She crossed her arms and turned away. The Mad Hatter bit his lip in worry that she was upset, but then she turned around. Her hands stuck on the sides of her head, wiggling her fingers, and tongue out. The Mad Hatter's jaw dropped in Alice's immaturity. He and Absolem looked at each other for a few seconds before bursting out in laughter. Alice, too, joined in merriment and clutched her sides because of so much laughter. This caught the White Queen's attention. She made a face but managed to straighten it out when she arrived at Alice's side.

"What ever is so funny?" She questioned the three. The Mad Hatter wiped his eye, as he spoke,

"The Tweedles…hee hee, and then I…and then she…and then, ha, ha, ha!" His hat fell off his head, as he trembled with laughter, unable to speak. Alice strongly patted him on the back, and he began to breathe once again. Between heavy breaths, he chuckled a little but soon suppressed them. The White Queen made another face. Alice shrugged with a small smile on her lips. Absolem spoke,

"Ignore the hatter; he's just being mad…as usual." His tone tried to reassure the White Queen.

"Alright then, don't tell me." She sighed, fixing her hair a little.

"So, are you at least enjoying yourself?" Alice politely questioned her. The White Queen smiled softly.

"It's a very nice party. Thank you for…" She paused unable to think of a way to finish the sentence. The Mad Hatter finished it for her.

"For not really inviting us but technically inviting us with your _**mind**_." He was only centimeters away from her face at the end of his sentence to add a supposed suspense. Alice raised an eyebrow and gently pushed on his chest.

"I need to breathe…" She mumbled, hiding a blush for she knew what her mother was probably thinking at this point in time. The Mad Hatter noticed this and cocked his head in his signature manner. Nevertheless, he stepped back. The March Hare hopped by, still trying to keep away from McTwisp in their game of hide-and-seek. His nose twitched in curiosity at the odd tension in the air. He paused right in the middle of the circle of people. His mouth opened wide, as if he was to say something important and then…and then…he sneezed… Everyone looked down at him in confusion. He grinned madly, wiped his nose with a paw and bounced off having settled the mood a little bit. Absolem complained,

"Well, now look what he's done to me! That stupid hare has his gook all over me." He tried wiping his numerous feet off on the grass. Alice carefully picked him up with a handkerchief and wiped him up.

"There you are, good as new…" She blinked.

"Although that was very odd, don't you agree?" The Mad Hatter nodded in agreement to the nineteen-year-old's statement.

"Quite indeed. I have to admit, he can get a little crazier in the head than I at times." The hatter adjusted his hat. The White Queen whispered to Alice,

"And that's extremely hard to beat…" Alice had to cover her mouth to keep herself from falling into the cycle of laughter all over again. Alice mother once again came over to the odd group and interrupted them,

"Alice, why aren't you dancing?" She asked her a little sternly. Alice hesitated

"Well, um, I just had to talk a bit with a few other old friends."

"Yes, that's all very well and good, but I would start to dance now, Alice dear." Her mother impatiently told her. Alice glanced dejectedly at the Wonderland creatures. The Mad Hatter tapped Alice's mother on the shoulder,

"If I may, madam?" His voice was smooth and sounded almost high-class just as with previous cover-up.

"Yes, Mr. Hatter?" The older woman asked.

"May I dance with your daughter?" The sentence hung in the air awkwardly. The White Queen rushed out of the group to keep from making the situation any odder. Alice's eyes widened, and she gave the hatter a look. Her mother merely pursed her lips and said,

"Well, I suppose it could do no harm." She let go of Alice's hand. McTwisp and the March Hare who had been watching in the distance gaped.

"What has he _**just **_done?" The March Hare muttered to himself. McTwisp began to stutter,

"But I told him…and now…he wasn't supposed to…what if…?" He pulled on his long, white rabbit ears in distress.

"He's always getting into other peoples' business, isn't he?" Mallymkun sneered. The White Rabbit fanned himself with a paw,

"Oh dear…I certainly hope I don't faint right here…" He heavily breathed. The mouse frowned,

"Ach, you're such a sissy sometimes, you know that?" He poked him with his little pin needle, and that sent the rabbit bouncing off in pain and sickness. The White Queen crouched down next to the two animals,

"Did you all see that? What in the world is he thinking!? He's tinkering with the real world!" She told them in exasperation and worry. Absolem nodded, perched on his grass blade,

"Yes, I know. Quite troubling. However, the good thing is that he's only playing with Alice's life. I'm sure things will even out eventually." He reassured them nonchalantly. McTwisp came back fuming,

"I still don't like the sound of this." He pushed Mallymkun on the arm with a paw in return for the stab of his pin. The Wonderland creatures watched hopelessly from the sidelines, watching the Mad Hatter take Alice by the hand onto the grassy dance floor.

"I just hope he doesn't start his Futterwacken…"

**AN: Okay, in this part, there are some things that only people who watched the movie may know (ex: the Futterwacken) No worries, I'll explain a few of them within the next chapter. :) I saw the movie yesterday, and it was really good, so I put in some references from the movie. The visuals are nice, and the characters are just so much fun! The music was enjoyable...and well, the only thing that I can really complain about is the dragging plot line. A little sticky and slow, but it wasn't that big of a deal. ;) See you all later!**


	3. Curiouser and Curiouser

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN/HAVE CREATED THE ALICE IN WONDERLAND CHARACTERS. **

For the moment, everything seemed fine. Alice and the Mad Hatter danced calmly, and awkwardly, around, and McTwisp was relieved. The Cheshire cat, who had been absent for quite some time, appeared suddenly next to the March Hare.

"So, what have I missed?" He asked them smoothly. Mallymkun rolled his eyes,

"_**Everything**_." He told him sarcastically. The cat raised an eyebrow,

"Well, you don't need to be so huffy about it. Where's the hatter?" The White Queen merely pointed down the hill. He saw the Mad Hatter and Alice twirling about, dancing properly.

"Why is he dancing with Alice?" He questioned them again. McTwisp sighed,

"I wish I knew as well, Chesh." He tapped his pocket watch, looked down at the two dancers, and then tapped it again.

"This better not take all day…" The White Rabbit groaned.

"All you do is whine, McTwisp! Just shut up for a second!" The Dormouse threatened to poke at the rabbit again. He quickly switched places with the March Hare and stuck out a tongue at the mouse. The White Queen hit them all upon the top of the head.

"Now, now." She told them sternly. The Cheshire cat stretched himself out,

"That's all I came to ask about; I'll be going now." He was about to disappear, but Absolem warned him,

"Cheshire cat, you cannot just keep appearing and disappearing in this world. It may catch the attention of some of the normal folk." He fixed his spectacle, as he spoke. The cat rolled his large eyes,

"Fine…" He trotted off briskly, annoyed. Down below, Alice and the Mad Hatter began switching partners in time with the music. The hatter, who was not expecting this, accidentally hit into a man's back. The man fell over in reaction, knocking down his partner. Another couple tripped over them, crashing into a few more people. Alice gaped in disbelief, as the domino effect managed to knock everyone to their feet. The Mad Hatter covered his mouth with a hand and slid behind Alice to make it seem as if it were not his fault. People began yelling at others, hitting each other, and falling over one another once again. Alice ducked to avoid a shoe that had been thrown from a far. She glared at the hatter, and he bit his lower lip in response. The Red Queen screamed loudly suddenly,

"It is _**my **_party, and I shall _**not **_have this ruckus!!!" Her face turned a light purplish-red. Everyone held their ears in pain. Lillian's mother meekly patted her on the arm,

"N-now calm down dear…we can arrange the lunch now!" She desperately tried to bring down her temper. Her eyes were filled with terror, as she sharply told the servants,

"Prepare the outside tables for my darling Lillian…_**now**_." They all nodded their heads quickly and began scurrying about in a tizzy. The Mad Hatter relaxed behind Alice. Alice whipped her head around and gave him a look,

"What in the world was that for!?" She whispered angrily at him. He put his hands up in defense,

"I didn't know that we were supposed to switch partners!" He retorted. Alice sighed,

"Well, what did I expect? There's always something that's going to happen with you." She told him. He smiled widely, hoping it was a good thing. Alice, unable to keep her straight face, smiled back at him and fixed his hat. Everyone began to gather at the table areas. The tablecloths were a sparkling white, clean and pulled taut over the round tables. Everyone took a seat at their designated area. Alice panicked for the Wonderland creatures. They had not been invited and would be easily noticed if they didn't sit down right away. She bit her lip, but the hatter patted her on the shoulder reassuringly,

"Not to worry, Alice. I meant it when I said that Absolem and McTwisp thought of _**everything**_." He smiled a little oddly seeing her awe of how he had read her mind. He led her to a fairly large table, and there were nametags with their names printed in golden cursive letters in front of some of the seats. The hatter pulled out the chair for Alice and bowed deeply. She giggled a little and stood him upright,

"I'm not the White Queen or anything." She told him, still smiling. He flashed a small smile, and then everyone began pouring in. The March Hare bounded onto the hatter's lap, nose twitching. The Mad Hatter gave him a split-second death glare, eyes darkening just a little, before he was calmed down by Alice's light touch. McTwisp, more politely, questioned Alice,

"Is it alright if I sit on your lap for now, dear? Unfortunately, we really couldn't have animals sitting a table…" He muttered.

"It's actually quite discriminatory!" Mallymkun remarked near the White Queen's plate. The White Queen gently pushed him behind the butter,

"Careful now, you may cause a ruckus if someone sees a mouse on the table." She told him cautiously. The Dormouse sighed and frowned.

"See what I mean?" He whispered to Absolem who was hidden well among the flowers in the vase in the middle of the table. The caterpillar exhaled slowly,

"Yes, but we're just going to have to bear with it for now." He told him. Tweedledee and Tweedledum jostled each other back and forth,

"This is my seat!"

"No, it's my seat! See, it says Tweedledee right here!"  
"Yes, but that must be a mistake because McTwisp told me I could sit next to Alice!"

"No he didn't you liar!"

"You're the one who's stealing my seat!"

"Fine! Here!" Tweedledum switched the name card with his own and grinned triumphantly.

"Now you're sitting there!" He pointed out the other seat.

"But you can't do that! My card was here…!" The Mad Hatter finally lost it and yelled at them, slamming his hands down on the table,

"Alright! Both of you sit on the _**opposite **_end of where Alice is sitting!" He fumed silently, as he watched the two boys scuttle into their new seats. The White Queen drifted over and took the other seat next to Alice and whispered to her,

"The boys do seem to like you quite a bit." Alice sighed at this,

"That seems to be the problem…" Both women made faces, as the Tweedles shoved and kicked each other underneath the table. The Cheshire cat suddenly appeared in White Queen's lap,

"May I?" He asked her. She stroked the cat,

"Yes, of course, Chesh." The cat purred in response, and his large eyes closed themselves. Suddenly, uniform waiters dispersed themselves among the tables and placed down plates of food that were apparently chosen beforehand. The White Queen grimaced when a fish was placed in front of her. She pulled a waiter aside,

"Excuse me; may I have the salad instead?" She earnestly questioned. The waiter told her,

"I'm afraid not, madam. We only have the foods prepared for the certain people who ordered them." He then walked off after being flagged down by another person. The queen sighed, as she watched the cat nibble on the fish. Alice offered her salad,

"Here you are. You can have it. I'm not that hungry." She pushed the plate closer to the White Queen.

"Are you sure, Alice?" She asked her carefully.

"Yes." Alice smiled. The queen anxiously glanced at Alice once more before taking her fork in hand and finally eating the salad daintily. The Tweedles looked like they were about to argue about their food choices, but the Mad Hatter gave them one look, and they were silenced. Alice reached over the table and switched the twins' plates with each other. They both beamed in satisfaction.

"Once again, you are a wonderful peacekeeper, Alice!" Tweedledum commented joyously.

"Yes, and once again you have proven that kindness is the method of non-violence." Tweedledee added in. Both Tweedles gave a not-so-subtle look at the Mad Hatter. He gave a darkening return glare and raised himself from his chair slowly. Alice deftly pushed him down and shook her head.

"Leave them alone please, hatter…" She sighed with fatigue evident. The Mad Hatter obeyed out of sympathy for the poor girl and forced a smile onto his face for her. Alice smiled back tiredly. Everyone finally calmed down enough to enjoy the meal as much as they could. The White Queen offered the rest of her salad to the blue-dressed girl. Alice politely accepted the salad and let McTwisp try some of the greens. The queen sighed at Alice's kind demeanor. The Mad Hatter had given all of the vegetables to the March Hare himself and instead ate the rest of what was left on the plate. The twins enjoyed their "new" dishes along with Mallymkun and Absolem. Alice was able to relax, and she breathed, relieved. The Red Queen, seated in a very lavish location, tasted different dishes. She stubbornly would request new dishes to try and easily was bored of a food after a while. Lillian's mother fanned herself in stress and breathed heavily. Alice made a face before feeling a tug on her sleeve.

"Alice, is there going to be tea now?" The March Hare asked her excitedly, shaking his cup up and down vigorously. She shrugged,

"I don't really know, March Hare. Let's ask another waiter." She tapped a chubbier waiter,

"Excuse me, sir? Is there any tea available?"

"Yes, ma'am. Would you like a cup?"

"Oh, thank you. We would all like a cup…including the animals…" Alice added at the end. The waiter raised an eyebrow but said nothing. In a split-second, he brought over cups of tea and placed it in front of all the members around the table. The Mad Hatter and the hare both shared broad grins, as they indulged in their tea. The smaller creatures sipped from a spoon, while the Cheshire cat and the White Rabbit drank from their own cups. The queen drank a small bit of tea, before telling Alice,

"Just be careful with tea and those two." She pointed over at the hatter and the March Hare who seemed to be enjoying themselves thoroughly. Alice gave a small laugh,

"I'll remember that for next time." They both smiled at one another. To Alice's surprise, the Wonderland creatures behaved themselves the best they could. After the hatter's outburst, the Tweedles were relatively quiet. The animals hid themselves from view the very best they could, and the Mad Hatter seemed livelier after having his tea. He leaned closer to Alice.

"Alice? Is today your unbirthday?" He revealed his smile, and Alice stopped him right there.

"Hatter, I can't have you all sing that song here." She warned him. He shook his head,

"Oh no, no, of course not. I have a gift for you though, Alice." The mad man took out a small, beautifully wrapped box. He handed it to her. She inspected it carefully. The hatter assured her,

"Don't worry, Alice. I made it appropriate for this occasion. No fireworks or anything." She smiled at this and gingerly unwrapped the gift. Everyone bent in closer to see what the Mad Hatter had thought up for her this time. She pulled out a small hat that fit perfectly onto her head. Her face broke out into a large, "Cheshire-cat" grin.

"You weren't kidding when you said you would make me a hat?" She asked him. The hatter waved a hand,

"Nonsense, I made this before I came."

"But then how did you know…?" She didn't finish her sentence and dropped the subject, taking for granted that she may never know the motives of the Mad Hatter. Alice proudly fitted it on top of her head.

"It does look very nice, hatter. Good job." Absolem commented approvingly. The Mad Hatter gave a pretend bow of the head,

"I always do my best." He smiled confidently. The Red Queen's voice screamed over all once more,

"I want to start the dancing once again!!" Mallymkun growled at this,

"Why can't that bloody big head just shut her trap? We should've left her there, Mirana." He addressed the White Queen. She sighed and clasped her hands together,

"It was necessary, Dormouse." She told him softly.

"I thought you said they didn't deserve a bit of kindness!" Mallymkun retorted her.

"Hush hush, Mallymkun. What skin is it off your nose if she attends or not?" Aboslem quieted the talkative mouse.

"I just don't feel it's right…that's all…" The Dormouse muttered to himself. People noisily were arising from their seats to begin to dance once more after the hearty meal.

"Are you in the mood to dance once more, Alice?" The Mad Hatter asked her. Alice hesitated,

"Well…"A certain feeling swelled within her, and there was a calming, sedative look in the Mad Hatter's eyes. She sighed before standing up.

"Alright then..."

**AN: It's been a long time, eh? =.=" Sorry that I've had you all wait so long. I've been busy. :/ I also have a few questions. Someone wrote to me that Mallymkun is supposedly a female...and that'd be a terrible mistake as a writer to mix up genders...XP So is it true? The next is whether or not you all are comfortable with a few Hatter/Alice hints and subtle notes. If most of you would rather prefer it not be written then I won't. ;) AGAIN, I'M SO SORRY THIS HAS TAKEN SUCH A LONG TIME. I'll try to get the next one up ASAP. DON'T FORGET TO REVIEW/COMMENT. :DDD For all of you that have listed me as a favorite author/story please comment as well!!! Gives me motivation. ;D lol.**


	4. ANNOUNCEMENT

**THIS ISN'T A CHAPTER, BUT IT'S KINDA IMPORTANT. :D**

Okay, so someone recently told me that they've made a section for Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland, so I'll be moving this story on over to that section this Friday, March 19th, 2010. :)

It'll be the same title, only when you click the link to movies, right below the "Alice in Wonderland" link, there'll be a "Alice in Wonderland, 2010" link that will be where my story is.

**OKAY BYE. :D**


	5. We're All Mad

**DISCLAIMER: ALICE IN WONDERLAND CHARACTERS BELONG TO LEWIS CARROLL (and Tim Burton) So I don't own them...:( *sniff***

The Mad Hatter and Alice arranged themselves in dancing positions once again and danced about the grass.

"Well, these dances are certainly boring…" He commented. Alice nodded,

"Yes, I know…dreadfully boring. I always did hate dancing lessons as well." She sighed. The Mad Hatter grinned all too familiarly,

"Do you want to try something different, Alice?" His eyes flashed mischievously, and Alice knew immediately that he was up to no good.

"Your idea of different is probably going to make me look like a fool." She whispered a little sternly. It was bad enough that she was just dancing with him. Truthfully, he wasn't a bad dancer, and Alice didn't really mind it, but it was her insecurity that made her feel uncomfortable. She dropped her gaze and focused on the dance steps. The Mad Hatter frowned,

"You certainly got touchy. What is it? All these people?" He asked her in a lower voice, concern lining his tone. She breathed in deeply,

"It's…nothing…." Her lips muttered almost soundlessly. The frizzy haired man could feel her awkwardness and felt bad for her. He suddenly let go of her hands in the middle of the dance. Alice's eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"What are you…?" She didn't get to finish her sentence for he began to dance himself. Alice gasped and covered her mouth with her hands. People around them backed away slowly. McTwisp face palmed.

"There it is…" He sighed helplessly. All the Wonderland creatures looked away in embarrassment. The Mad Hatter twisted and turned all too easily and strangely for that matter. The musicians had stopped playing, and that odd music that Alice had heard the first time he had danced his Futterwacken seemed to waft throughout the air. The ladies around them gasped, as he did a back flip. He glanced over at Alice, grinned and winked. She was pulled closer by his hands and spun around. Alice suppressed a small shriek, as he whirled her around and bounced randomly to the music. She could feel the hot glares from her peers and felt her eyes starting to tear up. For some reason though, she was drawn into the Mad Hatter's eyes. His slightly off center pupils were large, and the shocking, bright green irises seemed to magically calm her. She closed her eyes and pretended that she was in Wonderland once again. The feeling of empowerment and not a care in the world filled her chest, and she felt light. It was either because of the small bit of madness in her, or the reassurance given by the Mad Hatter, but Alice suddenly rebounded full-heartedly and danced with the hatter as best as she could. The Wonderland creatures' jaws dropped once again, and they glanced at one another, not knowing what to do with the duo dancing like this. The White Queen stood up slowly. The animals around her glanced up in bewilderment, as she calmly made her way through the crowds of people and into the middle with the Mad Hatter and Alice. She lightly tapped both of them on the shoulders, and they turned. The White Queen smiled widely and tried copying their movements in the same manner. The Mad Hatter laughed loudly in response to this, and they all began the dance together. He took both girls by their arms and gracefully spun them both around to opposite sides. McTwisp felt the color being drained from his face, even though he was a white rabbit already. The March Hare saw the hatter give a small head nod in their direction and took it as a signal to get up and dance as well. He latched on tightly to McTwisp's hand and Mallymkun's torso and charged down the grassy hill, tumbling onto the dancing floor with the rest of their friends. More people gasped, as the animals began to dance alongside the rest of the bunch. They criss-crossed back and forth of one another, dancing about in a sporadic fashion. Finally, they all did a last twirl and stopped in a set pose, panting. The song died out, and all of them relaxed, laughing light-heartedly at the good fun. The Tweedles literally rolled at the feet of Alice, a bit late for the dance. They eagerly looked around themselves only to be disappointed that they had missed the fun. Alice smiled softly and spun them around once for fun. The twins clapped their hands together and grinned. Everyone bowed and curtsied to one another politely, almost making a mockery of the Victorian-style tradition. On her throne, the Red Queen scoffed and looked away. She had always hated the Futterwacken, but she said nothing, keeping to the promise she had made to her younger sister. Soon it became very quiet, and everyone began to realize that literally everyone was staring at them with masks of disbelief and sheer confusion pasted onto their faces. Suddenly, a little boy's giggle was heard, and he stepped near Alice a bit. As he picked his nose, he gurgled,

"Do it again!" His toothy grin made Alice smile at the boy in return. Children were always the ones who were imaginative, and they were the ones meant for mad things such as this. She ruffled the little boy's hair and gently sent him off back into the crowd. The boy's remark had shattered the silence, and people shook their heads, as if they were waking up from a dream. They slowly began to walk away from the odd group and go on with the party. The Mad Hatter placed a hand on Alice's shoulder.

"You know, you used to act like that the first time you came to Wonderland." He whispered in her ear. She gave him a half-smile.

"Really? Did I pick my nose too?" Alice replied. He tapped his chin, in pretend thought,

"Hm, I can't remember too well. You probably did though…" He laughed, as she pushed him a little on the arm. The March Hare stretched himself out,

"Ooh, I'm a bit out of shape. Haven't danced like that in a long time!" He exclaimed. McTwisp was still twitching and trembling with unhappiness and worry.

"Oh dear, oh dear…I hope things will be alright…" He muttered to himself. The White Queen smoothed out the White Rabbit's fur.

"Nonsense, McTwisp. You're worrying about nothing. We'll only be here for a short bit anyhow." She assured him in that sing-song voice that Alice found soothing. Mallymkun brushed himself off roughly,

"Well, I've got things to be worrying about!" The mouse protested.

"A little guy like me can get stomped by stupid, insolent people at a place like this! Not an incredibly good idea to bring me down here on your part, March Hare." He pointed out to the hare. The March Hare's nose twitched in response to this,

"Stop complaining! You had fun; I saw you dancing!" He argued. The Dormouse huffed but knew it was true. The animals began debating amongst themselves about their situation, and the White Queen rolled her eyes slightly at this. She nudged the Mad Hatter, whispered something in his ear, gave a thumbs-up, and shooed off the animals, leaving him and Alice alone. Alice raised an eyebrow, and the Mad Hatter twitched.

"What did she tell you?" She questioned curiously. The Mad Hatter awkwardly shifted his weight.

"Um, nothing." He mumbled. Before Alice had the chance to ask about his sudden change of behavior, he lightened up again and took her by the arm.

"Why don't we take a walk? I need to talk to you about something anyways." His mad grin was already on his face once again. The blonde girl still wasn't used to this whole changing of emotions thing. He briskly took them into a terrace familiar to the one that she had run into when Hamish had proposed to her that fateful day a while ago. He had still been following her every once and a while after she had returned from the ship voyage she had taken almost immediately after her return to the real world. The Mad Hatter anxiously looked over his shoulder and whisked her behind a few tall bushes. He brushed off invisible dust from his coat and smiled at Alice,

"Alright then, let's walk." He started off walking a bit, and Alice followed a little behind.

"So what is it that you wanted to talk about? Did something happen?" She asked him with a bit of concern. The hatter made a face, as he thought about how to reply to the question,

"Well…technically it happened already, so does that mean it's still considered as happening because it didn't happen now, it happened a while ago, and I think if it happened a while ago it would be considered in a past tense and…" His voice was beginning to run out of breath, and Alice had to close his mouth with a hand. He swallowed and smiled a little awkwardly,

"Thank you, Alice." He coughed a little to clear his throat. Alice raised an eyebrow and smiled herself.

"So what happened a while ago then?" She rephrased her question. He opened his mouth slightly, thought about his answer, and replied,

"Well, I'll tell you after I ask a few questions." He looked at her to see her reaction. Alice dropped her gaze for a second before looking back up at the hatter. After a few moments of silence, she nodded,

"Alright then." He revealed another smile in response to this.

"Good. Question one…" Alice prepared herself mentally for the Mad Hatter's questions.

"What has happened between now and when you left Wonderland?" He held his breath, hoping that she wouldn't be too suspicious or catch onto what he was trying to get at too early. Alice replied almost immediately to his surprise.

"Well, I decided that after I survived Wonderland, I wasn't going to have to deal with this Victorian lifestyle any longer. I met up with the man who now owns my father's company, and we went on a voyage set for China. We reached a strange land that was almost like a Wonderland. I wanted to stay and investigate longer…but my mother had strictly told me that I should return to England in the case of anything…unexpected." The Mad Hatter frowned at this,

"Oh, I'm sorry, Alice. Was it really a wonderful land?" His sympathetic question made Alice feel a little better about her current situation.

"Yes, it was. The forests were huge and lush. There were people on that land too. We're thinking about setting up trade there, but that's off the topic… Anyways, I returned to England and spent a bit of time here. There's this certain fellow named Hamish who proposed to me a little while back…" Alice saw the sudden change in the Mad Hatter's mood once again. He looked a bit upset. She quickly explained,

"But I turned him down. He was such a bore…he couldn't even be a real friend to me like you are." He brightened up once again. The corners of her lips turned up. She continued,

"I can name countless times that you've been such a nice person to me…remember in Wonderland when you threw me off on that hat to protect me? Or even before that, keeping me from the cards by putting me in that teapot? And when you fought the Knave for me at the Red Queen's palace? And…" Alice would've continued on and on, but the hatter shut her mouth with a finger.

"That's quite enough, Alice. You don't need to tell me of my actions. I could merely tell of all of yours." He smiled. The girl colored slightly.

"Right…well he has been constantly bothering me with his suits even though I've turned him down so many times." Alice complained a little. The Mad Hatter replied a little softly,

"Well, there are plenty of reasons for him to persist." He smiled sincerely at her. She thanked him silently with her baby-blue eyes. They walked in a bit of silence until the Mad Hatter asked another sudden question,

"How did you feel when you left Wonderland?" He was concentrating on the grass, and Alice found it hard to see if he was feeling alright. Nevertheless, she breathed in a little before responding,

"I felt…strange." A flash of a smile flittered across the lips of the Mad Hatter when he heard her confess that.

"When I left Wonderland, it was almost as if a part of me was left with you all. I…I lost a bit of my strength. You all give me such support and believe in me so much…" She wistfully commented. The Mad Hatter glanced at Alice.

"Well, don't you have people in this world that do the same thing?" He asked her. Her lips tightened a bit, and she didn't really answer. The Mad Hatter stopped walking and turned Alice slightly, so he could see her directly. He asked the question once again.

"Don't you have people in this world that do the same thing?" Alice slowly met the hatter's eyes. Flashbacks of the crowds of pristine, clean people that were all staring her the day she returned to Wonderland quickly flooded her mind. She wrapped her arms around herself, as if she were cold.

"Not really…" She murmured.

"Are you lonely, Alice?" He softly asked her. She turned her head away, and all he could see was her long, blonde hair hiding her face. Suddenly, she felt warmer. His arms were around her and tightly hugging her. She closed her eyes and exhaled finally. The Mad Hatter released her, and then turned her, so she was square with his torso. His eyes were completely maddening, but Alice could see the faint emotions that he was trying to convey. He told her surely and strongly,

"You're never lonely Alice because you have a smart mind…a smart imagination too at that. You will always have us no matter where you are." He took a piece of her hair and tucked it behind her ear and smiled. She smiled too.

"Why do you want to know about all of this, hatter?"

"Because I know that you weren't feeling right. I knew the second I saw you that there were emotions that you were hiding… It's not good to keep them bottled up, Alice. You might end up like me!" He grinned, wagging a finger in her direction.

"That'd be okay…" She told him truthfully. He raised an eyebrow.

"If I became mad, then couldn't I stay in Wonderland with all of you?" When she uttered that, the Mad Hatter's eyes softened a bit.

"It is still such a mad idea for you to be thinking about, Alice." He told her almost longingly. She smiled,

"But hatter, we're all mad here…you can't help that."

**AN: Hello again. :) So I'll be switching the story's section tomorrow in case anyone forgot, so don't flip out! :D No futterwacken...for now...;)**


	6. It

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN/HAVE CREATED ALICE IN WONDERLAND OR ANY AFFILIATED CHARACTERS. :( Although I wish I did...**

The Mad Hatter smiled in return, unable to say much to this.

"You're a witty girl, Alice. I'll give you that." He told her, tapping her on the nose.

"And you yourself are absolutely mad." She told him, tapping him right back. They both shared their own smiles and continued walking. Alice found herself latched onto the Mad Hatter's right arm, resting her head on his shoulder. She felt the need the pull away from this sudden action, but something inside her told her that this was comfortable, and there was no need to. The Mad Hatter was a little surprised with Alice clinging onto him, but he let it be, smiling softly down at her. The wind blew strongly, and it sent leaves flying into the air. Alice and the Mad Hatter held onto their hats and laughed at each other's hair being whipped about by the wind. The hatter flicked Alice's hat off her head and simply smirked at her astonishment. She pouted and suddenly grabbed his hat from his own head. Quickly, Alice snatched her own hat from the ground and dashed off, nearly doubling over in laughter. The Mad Hatter called out in mock anger,

"Come back here!" Alice giggled at this and ran even faster. The hatter finally managed to catch up and tackled the girl to the ground. She screeched a little, but they both ended up side by side, out of breath, and still laughing. They were very suddenly interrupted with a loud cough. Alice's head whirled around only to meet Hamish's dull eyes.

"Ms. Kingsley…I'd like to have a word with you." The reddish-haired man looked at the hatter who had crashed into Alice distastefully.

"And who, may I ask, is this?" Despite the disgusted tone in Hamish's voice, the Mad Hatter stuck his hand out properly after putting his hat back upon his head,

"How do you do, Hamish? I've heard a lot about you." The hatter told him cleverly. Hamish didn't take the outreached hand.

"Okay, but I still know nothing of you Mr…?"

"Hatter." He grinned madly. Alice jabbed him in the side, knowing that Hamish would make more of a fuss about the name than her mother.

"Er, Hightopp. Sorry." The hatter managed to wheeze out. Hamish stepped back away from the mad man a bit.

"Okay…" He muttered again, wiping his gloved hands on his waistcoat, as if just seeing the Mad Hatter was filthy.

"Have you two known each other for very long?" He asked Alice. The Mad Hatter spoke up again instead,

"Oh yes, we've known each other for an _**incredibly **_long time." His bright green eyes flashed with slight mischief in getting this pompous fool to twitch in discomfort. Alice nudged him again,

"We're just very good friends." She quickly added. She didn't know why she was so nervous about him knowing about the hatter, but it seemed that if anyone was around her with the any of the Wonderland creatures, she became very protective. The Mad Hatter gave Alice a look of complete, although fake, surprise,

"Just _**friends**_, my dear Alice? I should say, two people to be wedded should be _**much **_more than just friends." He gave her a sly grin and a split-second wink. Alice gaped at the hatter, seeing his intentions. The hatter had completely shifted the whole conversation in a mere sentence. Hamish seemed terribly uncomfortable.

"Ah, so you are engaged, Alice?" He managed to stutter. Alice quickly tried to deny it, but the Mad Hatter spoke over her again,

"Yes she is, but any who, tell her what you needed to tell her and make it quick." He lied. Hamish didn't stay any longer. He, quite awkwardly, left in a bit of a daze. Once he was out of hearing range, Alice smacked the Mad Hatter's arm just as hard as she had before. He pulled away in pain.

"Ouch! What was that for, Alice? I finally got rid of that Hamish guy that was so bothersome to you!" He justified. Alice searched her brain for something to say but was able to say nothing. She simply hit him again in discomfort.

"Ah, stop it! What? What!?" He asked her loudly.

"You just told him that I was engaged to you when I'm not! What if he tells everybody that?" She fumed.

"So what?" This earned him another hit.

"Oh for goodness sakes stop it Alice!" He told her again.

"But you just simply don't seem to have a care in the world about what you do here! To you, it doesn't even matter!" She seethed. The hatter glanced away from the very upset Alice.

"I'm sorry…" He spoke above a whisper, changing emotions all too quickly. Alice's eyes softened. The Mad Hatter walked over to a tall oak tree and sat underneath it, with his head in his hands in shame. Alice felt her heart ache for him, and she hesitated. She quietly took a seat next to him and patted him on the arm.

"I…I apologize. I'm sorry for lashing out at you like that." Alice's normally lively blue eyes dulled a bit in sorrow. The Mad Hatter gave her a one-armed hug,

"Nonsense. It was my fault. I really do care about you, Alice. I should be more considerate next time." Alice made a face at his tone. It sounded almost as if he was reciting a lesson. The wind blew again a little more roughly once again. They both gripped onto their hats. In desperation to lighten the mood, Alice stole the hatter's hat once again. He slowly smirked. Alice pretended to not even look at him, and she put her own hat down at her side. She put the Mad Hatter's hat on her own head, but it fell almost instantly over her eyes, keeping her from seeing. The Mad Hatter finally laughed out loud and lifted the hat from Alice's eyes.

"Better?" He asked her, smiling.

"Much, thank you." She replied with her own small smile perched upon her lips finally. The hatter mischievously dropped the hat back over her eyes and took her by the hand.

"Where are we going?" Alice questioned him, as he pulled her about.

"Nowhere, I just have to make you dizzy first." The Mad Hatter grinned. Alice certainly was getting dizzy. She spun around faster and faster. She felt almost as queasy as when she had fell down that rabbit hole.

"Okay, I'm going to let you touch certain things, and I want you to tell me what they are after your brain has been slightly messed around a bit with this spinning." Alice raised an eyebrow at the Mad Hatter's weird game.

"Well, why are we doing this?"

"Ah, you ask too many questions, Alice. Now here we go!" Finally the spinning abruptly stopped when he grabbed her shoulders. He didn't bother answering her question and quickly handed her a flower. Alice teetered back in forth in dizziness.

"Um, a flower…?"

"Yes."

"Rock…grass…hat…bug…" She continued naming off the different objects all too easily. Her fingers finally felt something a little warmer. She raised an eyebrow.

"A…an animal?"

"Sort of. Be a little more specific." She heard the hatter's voice command her. Alice felt the object in front of her.

"It's a little…squishy…"

"Yes, yes, but you haven't figured out what it is yet." The hatter impatiently reminded her. Alice felt the object for a few more moments. It had a lot of dips and curves, and Alice found it hard to pinpoint what it exactly was that she was touching.

"Do you want me to give you a hint, Alice?" The Mad Hatter asked her. She nodded. Very lightly, almost unnoticeably, she felt a very light touch on her cheek. A warm breath lingered near her jaw line until the object slowly backed away. The hatter lifted his large hat up from over her eyes, and she found that his face was in her hands. He smiled widely, and Alice couldn't help but smile as well.

"I didn't mean to call your face squishy, hatter." She told him in mock apology, patting it lightly. The hatter took up her hands and gently pulled them down from his face.

"I'm surprised you didn't get it very quickly this time around, Alice." He told her with a light-hearted scolding tone. Alice smiled and lightly colored.

"Well, I thank you for the hint. I shall return it." Alice leaned forward a little bit, and her lips barely brushed his lips. She was a little surprised at her own, uncalled for boldness. The Mad Hatter, too, seemed quite shocked by her sudden, yet light kiss. Slowly, he smiled at Alice though.

"You always were a little different, weren't you?" He asked her softly. Alice's cheeks reddened a little, feeling the full repercussions of her actions.

"That's okay though. I like different." He gave a small smile before putting another lock of her hair behind her ear.

"I happen to like madness." Alice was able to say quietly. Alice's heart was nearly pounding out of her chest, yet the hatter's was as well. Thoughts were racing through both their minds, electrifying the both of them, paralyzing their movements. Their conscious beings yelled at their rational thinking…well, mostly Alice's because the rational thinking in the hatter's mind had given up years ago. There was a sudden feeling that jolted through the Mad Hatter's system, and he slowly, but surely, lifted his hand. Alice's eyes stared at the hand all the way until it reached his hat that was still on her head. He carefully pulled down on the rim of the hat one last time and managed to find his way into kissing Alice's thin lips himself despite his slight uneasiness. To his surprise once again, and slight pleasure, she kissed him back. It was a little hesitant, but she grew more confident, as did he. Alice put her arms around his neck and felt instantly warmer from the breezy afternoon. The hatter stroked her long, white-blond hair slightly, with an arm of his around her torso. The Cheshire cat, who had been in the tree above them the whole time, slightly rolled his large, peculiar eyes at the romance. He silently disappeared to give the two a moment. The Mad Hatter had heard the Wonderland creature vanish though, and he pulled away a little suddenly, frowning a little. Alice gave a worried expression.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I've been too forward." Alice muttered in apology, pulling back. The Mad Hatter shook his head.

"No, no! It's not that, Alice. We just had a…viewer." He rolled his eyes and glanced back up in the tree that the Cheshire cat had been in. Alice blushed deeply.

"You still there, Chesh?" The hatter threw a rock up into the branches, but when nothing seemed to move or cry out in pain, he grumbled. He turned around quickly to face Alice and immediately the two felt a little awkward once again. The hatter blinked in the pause.

"Perhaps it is I that has been too forward." He told Alice with slight embarrassment in seeing her reaction now. Alice sat down under the tree once again, confused with her own emotions. Things had moved so quickly in the few seconds that they had just experienced…she was lost. Lost in her Wonderland of thoughts and feelings. She felt surprised, yet loving. Loved yet distasteful. They all clashed together just as they had the day Alice had chosen to return back to her world. In truth, deep down, she could feel her heart crying out, seeing this as a second chance to redeem what she had lost that Frabjous day. The hatter watched her take his hat and brush invisible dust off of it. She slowly stood up and put it back onto his head. His ever-so-changing eyes were a wonderfully rich green meeting her own clear blue ones. The corners of her lips turned up.

"I think we've both been forward…" She told him truthfully. The hatter glanced down in a bit of shame.

"But, that's okay. We're both a little mad…bonkers…lunatics…absolutely crazy…" Alice's sweet voice lifted his eyes. He grinned.

"The best people are, aren't they dear Alice?" The Mad Hatter reminded her, shaking his forefinger.

"Of course." She reassured him. Her angelic expressions made the hatter's eyes soften noticeably.

"Now tell me, hatter. What happened a while ago? You never did tell me." A devious smile arose onto her face. The Mad Hatter made a bit of a face at her sharp memory.

"I don't know if you want to know, Alice…"

"Well, of course I want to know! That's why I'm asking." She told him matter-of-factly. He sighed.

"Okay…" The Mad Hatter gave up. Alice listened attentively.

"I had a very serious problem." He gave her an equally serious look.

"It occurred to me the day you returned to Wonderland…something that I had never experienced as strongly ever before." Alice began to feel a weird feeling in the pit of her stomach.

"'It' made me even madder than I had ever been. 'It' racked my thoughts, and I couldn't spend a moment without 'it'. 'It' was like a drug for me." He told her admittedly.

"But…I liked it. It was a comforting feeling whenever I was around it…" The hatter stopped talking, unable to say much after that. Alice gently put a hand on his arm.

"Where did it go?" Although she may as very well have known the answer, the question popped out of her mouth unexpectedly.

"Oh, 'it' took care of what 'it' needed to do and had to go back home." Silence.

"Do you…miss 'it'?" Alice breathed soundlessly.

"Very much. I have a feeling though…that 'it' is not too far away right now." Alice realized how close she was to his face very suddenly. She swallowed a little and blinked a few times.

"Wh-what was 'it' like?"

"Absolutely maddening…'it' was wonderful…brave, kind…and beautiful." He briefly smiled.

"Does it sound like anyone you know, Alice?" The hatter asked her. She wet her lips a little.

"A little…" Their eyes locked once again.

"Except…" Alice murmured.

"My 'it' is more on the mad side…'it' is handsome though…and always cheers me up." She slowly smiled, as did the Mad Hatter.

"Where's your 'it'?"

"Probably having a tea party…"

**AN: Okay, so this story is pretty much shifting towards a HatterXAlice story...is that okay? :P Yes?? :D lol. Anyways, DON'T FORGET TO REVIEW ALSO. :DD Makes me feel so much better when I get any kind of review! Whether it praises, trashes, or helps out my writing, I'll appreciate it. ;) Thanks so much for reading!**


	7. ANOTHER ANNOUNCEMENT

**ANOTHER ANNOUNCEMENT DUE TO MY STUPIDITY...XP**

I don't know if anyone's noticed, but I accidentally added a part of a different chapter into the 5th chapter "We're All Mad".

So if you read it and were confused, it's back to normal now. =.="

I felt that I needed to apologize formally for that horrid mistake...wow, I still can't believe I didn't even notice that. XP

It's all better now though! So sorry...I blame it on myself trying to update by putting the chapter up at like two in the morning.

**SORRY AGAIN.**


	8. Truths

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN/HAVE CREATED ALICE IN WONDERLAND OR ANY AFFILIATED CHARACTERS. They belong to Lewis Carroll and Tim Burton's imagination. :)**

The Mad Hatter laughed a little at this. Alice smiled slyly.

"I should join 'it'. Would 'it' mind?" He asked her.

"Oh, not at all…well, I think 'it' would rather have you come with an invitation." Alice told him playfully. The hatter flashed a smile.

"I could take you as an invitation." He suggested, bowing deeply, holding out his hand. She giggled a bit.

"I'm sure 'it' would find that appropriate." She responded, placing her hand in his. He rose up and lightly pressed his lips against her hand.

"Thank you, Alice. I do very much like tea parties, and this 'it' character must throw very good ones."

"Indeed." Alice agreed. They cast their gazes out onto the hedge maze. It had gotten relatively darker. The sun had just hid behind the large mansion that belonged to the Rider family, and it sent a warming glow over everything. The soft, orange-tinted light washed over their faces, putting a small glisten into each, brightly-colored eye.

"You should join me for a tea party when you have the chance." The hatter mentioned to her quietly. A smile flittered across her lips.

"That would be nice. I don't quite know if I'm invited to one yet though." Her piercing blue eyes studied him.

"Oh dear Alice, you're invited to all of my tea parties at all times." He explained to her matter-of-factly.

"And I would like to come to every single one of them." She leaned against the tall tree and presented him with another one of her smiles that he so adored.

"But you can't I suppose…" The Mad Hatter replied, knowing the true reality of her world would never mesh with his own.

"You can't go to all the parties because you have to stay with your family, and then with your family you have started up that trade on that weird land that you still want to explore, and I don't want to keep you from exploring because exploring is very good for exploring minds and explorations of exploring…" His voice began to get a little wheezy.

"Hatter!" Alice snapped him back off of his ramble. He swallowed a little and smiled weakly.

"Thank you, Alice." He told her. The hatter always did seem to ramble about things concerning her.

"Hatter, I will always, as long as I'll be able to, come to every single tea party you ever host for the end of my days." Alice reassured him strongly. The corners of his lips turned up, but he pointed out.

"To do that though, Alice, you'd have to be in Wonderland. I host them everyday, and you wouldn't be able to manage staying in my world and yours." Alice saw his point, and her spirits dampened a little. She glanced up at the hatter in seriousness. He seemed to have a pained, thinking expression about him now that was very rarely seen.

"Do you doubt that I would come to all your tea parties?" She asked him questioningly, hoping that he would disagree. The Mad Hatter found himself in this position and promptly gave Alice an unsure look. Her eyes nearly burst with the feeling of hope, and it pained him to see her so wanting to do one thing but having to sacrifice the other.

Truthfully, he wanted Alice to stay with him in Wonderland for the rest of their days. Somehow, he assured himself confidently, she would find a way to be with him when he needed her, and she needed him. Would madness always be part of the equation? Well, that was the best factor, the deciding factor of it all. Was she mad enough to take the pathway down the rabbit hole and away from this world? He studied Alice's enrapturing eyes once again. Pools of shimmering sapphires that would swirl into her different emotions almost as clearly as his own…almost. His troubled look vanished as quickly as it had come, and he had another thoughtful smile on his face.

"No, I would never doubt the Alice that saved Wonderland. **The **Alice; the one that has not only a mad-side but a rational one too… I trust you, Alice." He stated, absolutely sure of what he was saying now. Alice lowered her gaze in a little embarrassment. He could always make things sound so much more than they really were. Perhaps that was just his way of describing things.

"Thank you. I trust you too, hatter." She replied, a small smile back on her face. They both awkwardly stepped forward towards each other, their hats colliding.

"Oh, sorry, sorry…" The Mad Hatter muttered, bending down the pick up the hats.

"Here let me…"

"No, I've got it…" They both hit into each other's forehead a little roughly. Alice nearly fell backwards, yet the hatter firmly grasped her hand, keeping her from hitting the ground.

"Ah, so sorry! Alley-oop!" He apologized, biting his lip, as he pulled Alice up, handing her hat back. Alice's bright, lively laughter eased his nerves a bit. He was always so jumpy around her…always wanting to make sure she was okay, safe, happy… She shook her head, still giggling, tossing her curly golden hair back and forth in the sunlight. The hatter slowly pulled up his lower jaw, realizing he had been gaping quite a bit, and swallowed.

"Are you okay?" The Mad Hatter checked her forehead, still very worried. Alice pulled his hand away.

"I'm fine! Really! You don't need to worry about me." The event had disturbed the still, tranquil evening setting, but Alice felt that it was actually more relaxing this way. She gave the Mad Hatter a hug to show her appreciation of his kindness. He raised his eyebrows at the sudden action but happily accepted the hug, embracing her full-heartedly.

"These hats are very bouncy, aren't they?" The Mad Hatter commented jokingly, giving his own hat a good look, after pulling away. Alice nodded.

"Yes, they are. Perhaps they feel happy." She suggested, twirling herself about in a dancing motion. The hatter grinned.

"That must be it…and I must be happy because my hat is happy! You are so intelligent, Alice!" He praised her. Alice blushed slightly.

"I'm not very intelligent." She admitted.

"Nonsense, poppycock, balderdash!" The Mad Hatter threw out random words that he had read in a book once.

"You are the smartest person I know, Alice!" He insisted.

"Now, that's not true…"

"I wouldn't lie about such things." He cut her off, still smiling. Alice had to agree.

"I suppose you're right then. The only time you lied was when the Knave asked you if you knew where I was." She pointed out. The Mad Hatter made a face in remembrance.

"Ah, yes. I will never forget. I only lied to protect you, you know." He defended himself a little.

"Of course, I know that! I'm not accusing you of anything…except for lying." She playfully smiled and poked him on the chest.

"Well, I would never ever lie to you, Alice." He told her softly, with a mad smile spread across his face.

"Really?"

"Yes, really! I can tell you some truthful things to you right now, if you wish." He offered. Alice smiled a little but declined.

"Oh, no thank you. I think you've given me too much of a confidence boost as of now." She joked.

"I insist, Alice!" Seeing as it would do her no good to keep refusing his offer, she accepted.

"Alright then. Let's hear a few truths." She sighed a little. He clapped his hands together.

"Wonderful! Now…let's see…" He thought about what truths he would like to tell.

"I have one! Did you know that the March Hare is _**actually **_a good cook once he's had his tea?" Alice's eyes lit up in surprise at this.

"Really now?"

"Yes! He once made the White Queen a very tall layer cake about…this high!" He brought his hands apart to a length of about three feet.

"It was very good." He told her matter-of-factly. Alice nodded politely, although she was a little doubtful that the hare's cooking styles were…up to par…

"He actually made some of the Pishsalver you had when you first fell down the rabbit hole." Alice's smile turned into a bit of a grimace. That Pishsalver had been incredibly bitter from the last time she remembered. The Upelkuchen had been relatively tasty though. The Mad Hatter noticed her sour face.

"Why? Was the Pishsalver really that bad?" He whispered to her in a low, questioning voice. Alice bit her lip.

"Well…it was…alright." She managed to say, half in distaste of the memory. The hatter threw his hands up in the air.

"I knew it! I told him not to put in the Shukrn, but he never does listen to me…" He muttered a few inaudible things to himself.

"Shukrn?" Alice interrupted him, raising an eyebrow. She had never heard **that **Wonderlandian term before…

"It's nothing." The hatter waved a hand.

"Anyways, today is also Gribling, you know. The day you returned back to Wonderland." He told her. She gave a look of surprise.

"Really? Has it been a year already?" That was odd. It hadn't felt like a year.

"Yes, it has. It's a happy day for us! A time for celebration! I'm still very happy that your party thing has landed on such a **perfect **date!" The Mad Hatter excitedly burst out.

"It's quite convenient, isn't it?" Alice cocked her head to the side a little, smiling.

"Can I tell you another truth, Alice?" The hatter suddenly asked her, whisking them off-topic once again.

"Alright."

"I very much find it absolutely attractive when you tilt your head like that, and I would like you to not do that a second time for I fear that I may just have to tackle you." He told her this with a straight face, but both of them ended up having a fit of giggles.

"You'll tackle me?" Alice challenged the hatter.

"Yes, of course! I thought I told you that I never lied to you!" He responded with a bit of surprise that Alice would doubt him. She very slowly began to turn her head sideways.

"No, no…you better not...ah…" The Mad Hatter warned her. She just smiled and finally tilted her head, with a little grin on her lips. The hatter gave a fake roar and pretended to knock Alice over. Alice shrieked a little and laughed.

"See? You didn't **really** tackle me." She pointed out.

"Oh well. I may be a bit of a mad man, but I'm still certainly a gentleman." He admitted.

"I'm certainly no lady though…" Alice smugly smiled. She tackled the hatter herself, and they found themselves rolling down the hill, screaming and shouting as their hats went flying into the air. Grass flew up into the air, as they landed themselves into beds of flowers. The hatter sneezed loudly when a flurry of daisy petals tickled his nose. Alice giggled uncontrollably, as she brushed them from his face. He laughed a little himself, still sneezing every once in a while.

"There you are!" She grinned. The Mad Hatter was about to respond, when he suddenly froze. He then jumped up from his position and gingerly tried stepping out of the flowers. Alice raised an eyebrow.

"What's wrong?"

"The flowers! We've hurt them!" The hatter worriedly tried putting a stem back in the soil.

"It's alright! They're not hurt!"

"Look at them!" He seemed very upset, so Alice patted his arm.

"Here, here…let me help you." They took the ripped out flowers and carefully placed them back in the soil. The hatter talked to the flowers one by one, as he put them in.

"Do you like it here? …No? How about here? Yes, that's much better." He stuck a rose next to a few other roses. Alice smiled genuinely at him. He was always so kind, even with flowers. She supposed the reason was that in Wonderland, the flowers **definitely **had feelings. They made sure of that. The flower beds were re-put together as best as they could, and the Mad Hatter wiped his hands from the dirt.

"I'm sorry that you've gotten all dirty, Alice." He apologized.

"No need to apologize! I've definitely gotten dirtier." She shook a few rocks off her skirt.

"You still look lovely, Alice." The hatter told her, blinking his round, moon-shaped, green eyes.

"Is that another truth?"

"Precisely." He revealed all his teeth, and the little space between the front two. They walked back up the hill, grabbing up their hats along the way. The sun was now even further below the horizon, and the pink, cotton clouds that had hugged the sun were now a darker purple, dispersing themselves about. They stood side-by-side, knowing that the day had ended all too quickly. The party had ended too quickly.

Their names were being called out from a distance, Alice's more frequently than the hatter's. She heard her mother's voice and her sister's. The White Queen's light voice called for the both of them as well. They were faint though, and Alice found herself hearing her heart beat louder in her head. The impending feeling that she would either have to say good bye to Wonderland or her world was imminent. The Mad Hatter licked his lips and glanced over at Alice.

"May I…tell you one more truth, Alice?" He asked her, knowing that it may be for the last time.

"Yes, I'd like to hear one more." There was a pause. He took a deep breath in, his gaze down, and Alice felt an immediate change in the mood, sensing that something different was approaching. His eyes finally met hers again a little slowly. They blinked, and a more mature expression washed over him. He studied her features. Her hair still looked as angelic as before, even a little mussed up from their fall. Her eyes stood out brightly from her porcelain skin, and they were curious and wondering. She clasped her hands in front of her thin torso, waiting, and he hesitated slightly, unable to speak to the person he had admired from afar for so long. He took up her hands carefully in his own and whispered almost breathlessly.

.

.

.

"I love you."

**AN: So finally our mad Mad Hatter has been able to tell his true feelings for Alice. :D You guys don't know how hard it was to not just have him sweep her up and run off with her down that rabbit hole! Believe me, if I were Tim Burton, I would've put in those two kisses they were supposed to have and keep Alice in her Wonderland. ;) But that's just me. Hope you guys liked this update! I really enjoyed it myself. Have a good week you guys, AND DON'T FORGET TO REVIEW. :) MAYBE ALICE WILL COME TO HER SENSES AND RUN OFF WITH THE MAD HATTER THEN! lol. JUST KIDDING. Anywho, thanks so much for reading this section, and see you all later! :D**

**Oh, and Shurkn is supposedly feces. Yum, right? XD**


	9. Love

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN/HAVE CREATED ALICE IN WONDERLAND OR ANY AFFILIATED CHARACTERS. (c) Tim Burton and Lewis Carroll. ;) But for now, they're mine!! :D**

At first, Alice didn't know what she was feeling. Surprise came first, then confusion. There was a hint of joy and then a hint of worry. They swirled themselves around her to the point where she was feeling quite dizzy. It was a similar notion as to the one she felt when she opened the door into Wonderland. She was opening a door into foreign territory. Something she knew very well of but hadn't ventured into. She wondered, was she in love as well? Alice knew that love wasn't what she had shared with Hamish, so she knew that it was a possibility that it was present now with the Mad Hatter.

It was hard trying to define love for Alice. She tried thinking about her father's compassion for her, as it was for the Mad Hatter's. Was that the same type of love? Did it fit up? She had read about love as well, but it wasn't exactly like what she was experiencing now.

She liked the Mad Hatter very much though. He was a wonderful friend who definitely cared about her as well. She thought about that, and the feelings she had felt when he had jumped in to save her from the Jabberwocky that Frabjous day. He had risked his life at all times for her. They had spent good moments together, yet also quiet moments such as these in which their emotions were set off to do whatever they pleased. Alice liked those moments too though.

Truthfully, ever since she had met the Mad Hatter, she had found herself wanting to be with him the most out of any Wonderland creature. The one thing she remembered the most about him were his eyes. Green, a deep, rich green. They were expressive and absolutely captivating. She…was captivated…by him…? She bit her lower lip in contemplation.

The Mad Hatter normally wasn't a very patient person, but for now, he waited for her response. She seemed a little caught-off-guard by the statement, and the hatter was sympathetic for some part. Perhaps it had been a bit too early to ask…too abrupt? He began worrying silently to himself again.

Another side of his worry was that she would say she didn't love him back, and that one phrase would send him spiraling into his madness forever. She kept him sane…for the most part…and he had finally told her how he truly felt about her. He did and would do anything for her, not because she was the Alice in the Oraculum…but because he loved her. He wanted to make sure that everything was perfect for her in every situation, and he wanted to hold her hands like this everyday.

Everyday, during the past year, he had been looking at his own hands. They were cold and empty. However, whenever they met up with her hands…Alice's hands…they were warm and full…they had something to hold onto. His ears missed hearing her sweet laughter and soothing voice, and he missed touching her tender face; even the slightest of touches eased him. The Mad Hatter pushed his mind from his fantasies. He hoped, at least, that his statement didn't dash their chances of still being friends. He tensed up, as he saw Alice's lips part slightly.

"Hatter, I'm afraid I don't quite know what love truly is." She spoke softly. He felt his heart drop.

"But…" She stopped his falling heart and immediately restored it.

"I'm willing to find out, if you're willing to teach me." She glanced up at him with eyes that calmed his worry and made him give a small smile himself.

"I'd be happy to help a young lady, such as yourself, in need." He gently pulled up one of the hands he had been holding onto and kissed it lightly. Alice boldly stood on her tippy-toes and kissed him properly. She was determined to uncover all the feelings she had hid away from the hatter. They had been covered by the dusts of time, but she was already beginning to blow them off. The rays of the sun were finally swallowed up, and darkness began to fall rapidly around them.

Neither of them saw the change though.

He rested his arms carefully on her waist, and she pulled his head closer to hers, confident that this was the path that she wanted to take. Alice was being more aggressive than the hatter himself, and he found this surprising. After all her thinking, she was surer than ever before. Even though they had kissed lightly earlier that day, this kiss was different. They both knew the other's feelings, and there wasn't a guess and check sort of feeling that burdened them. Alice felt light and airy…like she was falling down; down the rabbit hole into madness…but it was a good madness, something she openly welcomed. When they finally pulled away, their eyes still held the same sparkle they had been touched with when the sun was visible. They were full of life and eager to spill out all the feelings that were bottled up. The Mad Hatter opened his mouth to say something, before hearing a sharp yell.

"Hatter? Alice? Are you two here?" Mallymkun's shrill voice pierced the invisible realm they had been floating in.

"Look, there they are." The White Queen assured them, relieved to have finally found the both of them. Alice's mother clasped her hands in relief from behind her.

"Oh dear, Alice! You've been gone for the whole day! What on earth were you doing?" She rushed over to her daughter's side and checked her all over.

"Mother, please…I'm fine." Alice insisted, as her mother fussed about her. Her mother finally realized the hatter next to her.

"Ah…Mr. Hatter, was it? Did you just find my daughter?" She questioned him. Alice gave a quick, side glance at him. He hesitated only slightly.

"Well…as a matter of fact, I've…been with her the whole time." He confessed. Alice's mother looked at Alice in a puzzled manner.

"The whole time?" Her voice was wary for she knew what sort of nonsensical things young people could get into.

"For the most part…" He replied more hastily than before, giving Alice an unsure look. The White Queen shared glances with a few of the Wonderland creatures at her side knowing that he had done what he had came to do. Alice felt her mother grasp her hand.

"Any who, I thank you all for searching for Alice. We'll be off." She tugged firmly on Alice and began to pull her away. Everyone snapped their heads to the hatter's direction, anxious to see his reaction. Alice saw the Mad Hatter's saddening eyes stare straight into hers. They were still green, but they were clearly dulled; stripped from all of their previous light, for he knew, that he could not intervene in the way he would have preferred. He was a gentleman; one who prided himself in being polite whenever he could stop being too mad…and one who had lost too many things before … He had dragged through the days without her painfully, and he couldn't bear another second without her. Just seeing her today was enough to restore his spirits.

Unbeknownst to Alice, he had been extremely moody in Wonderland by himself. The Wonderland creatures were aware of this and were the ones that suggested that they visit Alice for his sake. He had spent countless nights with nightmares and hearing voices that would scare him incredibly so. Tea time wasn't as fun, and he was silent, lips drawn tightly at all times. He would burst out in rage and sadness all too often, and even hatting the royal court, the queen, and all of Wonderland wasn't enough to make him the slightest bit happier. His whole life…his world fell apart when she wasn't around, but it was so easy to mend with a single smile or laugh from Alice.

The cold pain that had wounded him the day she left began to slowly creep back. He felt a chill travel throughout his body and winced almost unnoticeably in the brief feeling. Alice saw the lines of hurt that were creased in his facial features, and she felt her own soul cry out for him.

Silently, his eyes begged her to follow him. To follow him into a different place. To follow him into…love. Together. It broke Alice's heart. She stopped her mother.

"Mother…I have…something I'd like to tell you." Her voice wavered slightly. Her mother looked concerned.

"Yes, dear? What is it?"

"Mother…I'm in love." She told her breathlessly. There was a silence. Everyone focused on Alice's mother. The woman stuttered a little, as she spoke.

"That's…wonderful, Alice. Who, may I ask, are you in love with?" Her mother's eyes glanced at the hatter for a split-second, still at a loss of words. The Mad Hatter dropped his gaze. Alice bravely pulled away from her mother's hold and walked over to the man she believed was, although the maddest of the bunch, the one she loved. She needed him, and he needed her. It was a relationship that gave and took. Her eyes managed to meet his own. His eyes flickered in slight hope, as she took up his hands in her own.

"Mother…" Alice turned to face her mother…facing reality and a society that beat down anything that it wasn't accustomed to. A society where she didn't fit in.

"Mother, I love this man right here." She spoke without a single hesitation or fear. Her eyes were sharp and a clear-blue that pierced into her mother's grayed ones. Her mother's hands were shaking, jaw dropped.

"Alice? You love this hatter?"

"He's not just a hatter, Mother. He's the best hatter I've ever met and the most humane person ever." Alice strongly justified. Her mother had been waiting for the day when Alice would find a lover for herself, and the hatter seemed like an acceptable man, but she was unsure. She had never seen this man with Alice at all until today.

"Mrs. Kingsley…I love your daughter more than anything." The Mad Hatter's voice was low and soft, but the true meaning behind his voice was all too evident. Alice glanced back up at the hatter, and she found him smiling a little.

"Do you know him that well?" Her mother questioned Alice a little dumbly.

"Yes, of course I do." Alice replied; a little shocked that her mother would suggest that she would fall in love with any random person.

"So what is it, Alice? What's the problem? Why did you tell me this now?" Her mother was confused beyond belief. Alice took a deep breath, sighing.

"Mother, I want to go away with my hatter. I want to spend the rest of my life with him…" She lost herself in the Mad Hatter's eyes once again, trailing her sentence off. Alice felt her breathing and heart rate quicken, as she pulled him into a kiss. The hatter cupped her sweet face with his hands and continued the kiss. Every encounter with her…every decadent touch was treasured by him, and this kiss was another dizzying one that made him feel **that **close to going even madder for her. They moved their mouths in sync with the other, making the most of what little breath they had.

She loved him. She had said it. She had said it to herself the whole time she was in Wonderland, but she hadn't even paid attention to it…now though…now she realized how much she had hid away, how much she had shunned from herself, locking her heart away. The hatter was all too exceptional at unlocking it though. He had made her laugh, made her smile, made her dance…made her love…

**AN: :D Aww, don't you all love kisses? This is making up for that whole time in Wonderland where they ABSOLUTELY DIDN'T KISS AT ALL. D; It was so dissapointing. :( These kisses just make me feel so much better about these two. ;D lol. Hope this chapter is loved by all you readers who really tell me whether or not I'm good at writing. :P (which I'm not really, but it's nice to hear lies...I'm sure Alice wouldn't like them too much though. XD) ENJOY & DON'T FORGET TO REVIEW. :) It just makes Alice a slight bit madder for the hatter. ;) **

**PS: I was reading through the chapters, and to clarify a little tidbit way in the back, the different land that Alice landed on was somewhere in Canada in North America. I know this might be historically incorrect, but NO WAY SHE'S GOING TO CHINA AND LEAVING THE MAD HATTER. D: lol, at least in my mind. :D**

**OKAY, SORRY FOR RANTING. :P**


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